The gang of eight were all here today… and it was the “new” Family Day holiday. Our team was the first out the door at 8:50. Up the gondola and Big Red, we were. It wasn’t as crowded as I thought it was going to be so.. Green Acres bumps were all ours and the kids skied it with some panache and gave an admirable performance skiing on one ski on the road to Emerald.
Back up, we navigated Upper Whiskey Jack and turned right at the Chick Pea to connect to Ego Bowl. A nice set of brushes have been set up in the School Yard for ski school. The kids took some interesting routes through the training gates! Emerald was crowded with ski school groups so I handed responsibility to the kids leading the class down Olympic to mid station. I’ve exhausted my library of stories but placated the team with gummies on the ride back up. Time to ratchet up the skiing: Roundhouse Roll (no splats) to the Chick Pea; skate as fast as you could through Orange Peel flats; Orange Peel to Dave Murray; through the Toilet Bowl and regroup at Creekside gondola. The kids demonstrated they were ready for a rights-of-passage run: Crossroads to Lower Franz’s then exit the end onto Dave Murray. I gave the team a well earned free ski on the last pitch to the bottom on the condition they count how many turns they did. Fifty seemed about the average.
We parked our skis by the learning area and were on time for our 12:00 lunch in the Clubhouse. It was packed! Swamp water today was really boring… only Whistler water. Out after our allotted 45 minutes, rambunctious Soldis and Finley had to go on a hunt for their FLAIKs. Sheesh!
A race to the beaver bench on Expressway burned off some pent up energy. On the ride up from mid station, the kids finished my bag of gummies. Skis on at the Olympic rings, we did the bump run below the Roundhouse onto Pony Trail. There was a lot of cheery banter on the jumps on the side of the run. Wildcard was groomed, so another steeper challenge done. I think we scared a few of the tourists as we gave a primal scream going through the tunnel on Highway 86. We were 5 minutes ahead of the ski school rule about not skiing out after 2:30… so we took the same route as we did this morning. Axel’s grandfather joined us for the end of day run. Riddley had the splat-of-the-day doing a face plant off one of the jumps and the kids definitely picked up the pace on the free ski down the last pitch.
Well done all! Another banner day.
The following items are the principal requirements to be ready for a level 4 group: I can control speed, using turn shape on green terrain. The highlighted items are “must haves”.
I can adapt my turn shape to control speed on varied terrain.
I can maintain an athletic stance while holding my poles in front.
I am able to ski all green runs using wide stance parallel turns.
I can skate on flat and gentle terrain.
I can side slip at least 4 meters on groomed terrain.
I am able to do hockey stops on both sides.
I can ski a side bank and turn back down it.
I can ski blue runs with a wide parallel stance.
I can traverse across easy slopes on one ski.
I can stay balanced and travel at a safe speed over jumps on the side of a run.
I maintain a centered stance in cut up snow and powder.
I can ski safely through the race course and turn around gates.
I know how and where to stop safely.
I can safely pick my own line down blue runs and choose a safe stopping location.
I understand how to merge and who has the right of way.
I follow the alpine responsibility code.
I know what tree wells are.
I know the lift riding rules and where to meet my group at the top.